Thinking & Feeling

“The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.” Horace Walpole

Tuesday, 24 August 2010

Migraine Attack - save me!

I haven't had a dreaded migraine since last May. I had kind of thought I'd banished the damned things.

But then last night I was half-way through a lovely run and decided to pop into the Claremont Chinese shop for some sushi supplies. As I was paying I noticed a weird spot in my left eye's vision, but didn't think to much of it. A few minutes later the penny dropped and I realised what it meant. I was about 5km from home still and just carried on walking slowly and breathing deeply hoping I could take it away by staying calm.

By the time I got to the little shop around the corner though, I could not see anything unless I glanced sideways at it. I had huge blind spots in the middle of my eyes. I grabbed some extra strength headache tablets and took 2 right there. The cashier was all snotty with me because she refused s a credit card for less than a R20 purchase. I just explained calmly with my hand over my eyes that I needed help and was not there buying stuff for fun and just needed to get myself home while I still could. Luckily she didn't keep arguing. By the time I left I was a bit worried about crossing the roads as it was getting dark and I wasn't convinced I was seeing enough or compus mentis enough to avoid the traffic. I managed a light jog for the last bit home and my vision seemed better when I got in. I was hopeful that I'd managed to dodge it. Wishful thinking! The boys though took one look at me and knew. I think I was slurring a bit too by then. They flanked me and marched me inside and straight to my room. Where I took a Myprodol too. (3 tablets in under an hour - that's a record for me!!! I never take medication AT ALL.)

I got in the bath and Quinn massaged my shoulders for a bit and made me a cup of tea. I hoped that if I just relaxed in the bath I could get rid of it. But by the time I got out the bath the seering headache, tingling/numb hands and nausea was setting in too and I just had to lie down.

Shame the boys had to feed themselves & Roxy, lock up the house and put themselves to bed, all of which they did in complete calm and quiet and cooperation and with a lot of attention care and concern for me. Quinn brought a bucket and water to my bedside - without being asked etc. We were all asleep just after 8.

I feel a bit weak and sensitive this morning but I do think the headache meds helped because usually I'd have an intense headache still and it would last for about 24-36 hours and leaning forward would feel like being stabbed in the head.

My sister gets such bad migraines that her brain pretty much shuts down and she can't remember anything. She was once at a hotel and couldn't give them her name or room number or anything. Luckily her husband walked past and found her in the lobby and was able to rescue her. I sometimes have trouble remembering specific words, especially nouns. It's very weird. You can visualise the thing and sometimes even the word but you just don't KNOW it anymore, and even if someone says it it sounds weird and foreign. It's scary but actually quite fascinating to observe...

The best thing for me is just to escape into sleep and hope it's over when I wake up. The headache tablets do seem to make a difference so I am not so puritanical about not taking ANY med anymore. For migraines I am more than happy to bend the rules if it helps!

ARGH.

I am not sure I can go to work though as my head feels very fragile and like it could break if any pressure is applied and I am still vaguely nauseas.

3 comments:

Hallo fellow sufferer. I get from ok to completely incapacitated in minutes and can not even dream of taking a bath etc. I just collapse into bed, clothes and all - not able to undress, talk, anything. My local pharmacy makes a cure - 5 pills that you take together. I always keep one in the house.

Cat I have had far worse believe me, this one was relatively mild all things considered. I'd give it a 6/10 probably.

I've described what happens to me to several people, including a doctor-friend and they freak out and try to drag me to a neuro, thinking it's a stroke. The symptoms are very similar. But I have enough experience to know it's 'just' a migraine. Although who knows maybe one day I'll hide away in bed while I am having a stroke, instead of getting help. ;)